Sacrifice
by Ancient Chinese Proverb
Summary: Two shrine maidens, one injured hanyou. What happens when Kikyo sends Kagome to Sesshoumaru as a sacrifice in order to remove her for her desires for Inuyasha? Read and find out!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: No, I do not own the series Inuyasha…I promise! All I do with it is write fanfiction. Geez. So sue me.…Oooh…wait a minute--

Author's Note: This is a story that I've had in my head a while now…although the events aren't exactly planned out entirely yet…but I'll get to writing down the exact outline for it…someday. Actually, I'm not entirely sure what pairing this will be yet, since I have two ways I can take this story, and right now, I'm leaning more toward Sesshoumaru and Kagome rather than Inuyasha and Kagome. If I do decide to change it, I'll update the fic's info for it.

Anyway…let's start the story. The beginning is kinda weird, since it's mostly just backgrounds and preparation, but this _is_ the prologue. The real story begins when the real chapters do.

Alright, let's begin!

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

The rain started, slowly at first, then picking up into a heavy torrential downpour. The skies that were once clear became buried in dark clouds, casting a large shadow upon everything in sight. The precipitation helped somewhat, he mused, as he continued down the muddied path, leaning on his makeshift walking stick. The end of Tetsusaiga's sheath was becoming cruded with the wet dirt, and if his brother saw its state, he'd without doubt rip him a new one--not that Sesshoumaru had halted the first time. After all, it was his brother's fault he was in this state.

Inuyasha was certain his brother knew what those mikos had done to him, and that virtually guaranteed another battle within the near future. He didn't think Sesshoumaru would particularly care that he was human now--in fact, that most likely assured that their next meeting would almost certainly be his last. At least with his demon blood, Sesshoumaru still held an ounce of respect for him. Now, he had become the one thing that Sesshoumaru loathed the most; they both held no express liking to humans…However, Inuyasha at least was not entirely disgusted by them--at least not the decent ones that saw past his hanyou exterior. Yet he was still proud of his demon heritage, more so than his human side. But now…

"Stupid bitches…" Inuyasha complained, his feet mechanically bringing himself forward. His red haori was cold and saturated, but he was focusing himself on getting to shelter, putting his status of freezing out of mind. _Just a little bit longer… _he pleaded with his unsteady legs.

It was already bad enough that his brother had nearly killed him, thrashing him with only segment left of his life within him. Thanks to Sesshoumaru, he could no longer rely on his fast healing rate; it'd take him months to recover from his wounds--assuming he even had the proper care.

_When has that bastard ever made anything easier for me?_ He was starting to feel unusually warm and lightheaded, two significant signs that he was about to collapse. _Great…Just the fucking thing I need now. To fall and die here in the freezing rain. If I can just get a bit further, I can at least get looked at by the healer of a town or something! _He found himself weakening, his vision darkening.

Being human sucked ass.

A growl rising in the back of his throat, he willed himself to continue down the path, determined to get somewhere safer than the narrow shaded route. His eyes almost lit up as he made out the outline of a small village at the end of the trail. _Just a couple more steps…_

Inuyasha knew he was at his limit, the pain in his body rising, making sure he didn't forget the extent of his injuries as immeasurable relief flooded his senses. The sting was persistent and he felt his knees weakening, bringing him unwillingly to the ground. His violet-hued eyes couldn't help but cast a fleeting look to the huts in the horizon as his body unwillingly submitted to the sharp pain of his injuries.

Inuyasha let out a curse as he saw black and his face became planted in the dirt.

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

She was out in the field, picking herbs under her bamboo umbrella since the shrine's stock had run low recently from the war between providences. Kikyo and the others had been taking care of wounded soldiers for months on end, and luckily the number of people incoming was growing shorter and shorter each passing day.

_The war must be nearly over, _she thought as she added yet another green stalk to her basket. 'Twas okay with her, a good rest was what she and the rest of the shrine maidens needed. At least from the male population, it would seem.

With that thought, Kikyo sighed. Some of the warriors were incorrigible with their attentions towards her. Although she knew she was not unappealing, most men held high respect for her and dropped subtle hints that she could reject as politely as possible. But the males that only saw her as a servant female (since she tended their wounds without them having asked) were from other providences than she resided.

As being a very talented High Priestess, her reputation was held far and wide, and most of them had backed off once they heard her name. Although others hadn't been that civil. Those were the ones she ordered her 'dear' sister to handle and left Kagome to fend them off by herself.

A brow furrowed as she snapped the plants from their stalks. Kagome wasn't really the best priestess…at all. She had the least control of her holy powers than all the other priestess in the shrine and needed help most of the time. Kikyo suspected that one of the few reasons she was holding her title because it was tradition, and their father's wish. Although he had died a few years after their mother, he always held them to their holy duties. In Kikyo's opinion, Kagome should just quit the order and live like a farmer's wife or something of that sort and leave the shrine to her. She had certainly voiced that opinion to her a majority of times, and Kikyo alleged that her younger only carried on out of spite for her, despite how horridly she handled a bow and arrow and how inferiorly to the others she channeled her holy powers.

Her stubbornness made Kikyo give her harder tasks as if to force her to make the decision to give up and realize that being a priestess--especially one linked to the High Priestess' name--was not for her. Kikyo stood, having gathered enough herbs to her liking. Kagome was tenacious, but even she would have a breaking point.

As she turned towards the village, she heard a groan and a thump. The High Priestess moved towards the sound and almost gasped when she saw the figure in the mud. The basket slipped from her fingers as she hurried towards the dark-haired figure. "Are you alright?"

It didn't move or respond to her inquiry.

Robes getting soiled, Kikyo knelt down and turned him over on his back. The man's face was covered in dirt and blood, a sign that he had a previous skirmish--one that obviously had gotten the better of him. He was too heavy…Kikyo knew that she would not be able to carry him by herself. She planted her umbrella in the mud in an attempt to keep him somewhat dry as she ran towards the village for help.

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

"_Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha yelled from behind Tetsusaiga. His hands held the handle in a tight grip, waiting for his opponent's next attack._

"_Half-breed." The tall taiyoukai landed in front of Inuyasha, a look of boredom on his face. "Cease this farce and hand over the sword. I will not tell you to do so again."_

"_Keh. Not a chance. You think I'm just going to roll over and die?"_

"_One can merely hope," Sesshoumaru commented as he slashed at Tetsusaiga's blade with poison claws. If he were in a better mood, he would have smirked at his brother's demeanor. Inuyasha was seriously wounded from the battle, but he was always a persistent little hanyou. _

_The demon lord resisted the urge to scrunch his nose in distaste. The smells all around him were insufferable. Leave it to the hanyou filth to go to a human village. If Inuyasha didn't have the item he was determined to get, Sesshoumaru would never have laid foot inside. The thought made him even more enraged and he increased the intensity of his attacks. _

_Inuyasha, on the other hand, was barely holding his own against his brother. Having been launched at walls and slashed at repeatedly was beginning to take its effect on him. He had given up long ago trying to minimalize the damage, however he was right to doubt that Sesshoumaru would not allow him to choose the places he fell. _Damn inconsiderate bastard_, he mused._

_The two failed to notice the group of women dressed in red and white robes arrive in the area. The three watched the fight closely, observing the pace and rhythm of the battle. One of them, presumably the leader, reached into her clothing and brought out a scroll encased in red cloth. She looked to one of her comrades, who were wide-eyed with fear. Her brow creased at that sight._

"_Do not worry. It is our duty to contain the evil within the village. Do not show them fear." Nodding to herself when she saw the other woman straighten her back with resolve, the leader unwrapped the scroll and unraveled it. "Begin making the barrier," she ordered the other two, who got into said position. Their eyes closed and their heads bowed as they put two fingers under their chin to concentrate their powers. A small, pale blue barrier surrounded them as the leader began to chant the mantra on the page. _

_As the words flowed from her lips, the barrier changed colors, transforming into a violet wall, and as she added her own holy powers, the barrier quickly increased in size, radius heading towards the demons that were so immersed in combat._

_Sesshoumaru noticed first, his honeyed eyes glaring at the group before he leapt into the air, far from the incoming holy onslaught. Inuyasha was not as lucky, however…his back was turned to the mikos and his head rose to watch his brother flee. A half-surprised, half-irritated look crossed his face. "Oi! Sesshoumaru, you fucking bastard! Get your ass back over here!" He crouched into the dirt to ready himself to copy the taiyoukai's jump, when something slammed into him from behind with the force of a hurricane. Inuyasha gasped as his skin felt aflame, air escaping out from his lungs in one colossal rush. Breathing in hurt, he discovered, his nostrils aching from the energy as if it were pure smoke. _

_The hanyou vaguely felt the sting of his back colliding with a wall seeing as he was more concerned with the sensation of his strength leaving him in a gust. What the fuck happened? His eyes cracked open and he saw a group of women standing a few feet from where he landed. Upon seeing their clothing he knew instantly what was transpiring. _ Oh…fucking fantastic,_ he said, attempting to pull himself up. _ Just when it couldn't get any worse…

_Then he noticed two things at once._

_His brother landed between him and the mikos, his eyes narrowing at them for interrupting the battle and endangering him--even for a slight second. "You would seek to purify this Sesshoumaru," he stated coldly. _Shit,_ Inuyasha thought, trying to override the pain in his body and get it to move properly. _ If I don't stop him, they're dead!

_Then he noticed the other thing._

_Getting into attack position, he realized that the power display had also retransformed Tetsusaiga, causing it to retract into the harmless, battered looking weapon. The usual feel he got when he tried to activate it failed to rise up. A split second passed before he gasped and looked down._

_His hair was black._

_That meant…_

"_SHIT!" He yelled, the situation sinking in and immediately he realized he had a huge problem. _

_Just how the fuck was he supposed to save the stupid mikos AND himself at the same time if he was a fucking HUMAN?_

_Granted, the group of cowering females weren't exactly high on his 'friendly' list at the moment, but nonetheless, they did not deserve whatever bloodied death that was running through his half-brother's head right about now. There was no way to get around Sesshoumaru and run them out without him reaching them first. They would become mere smears on the ground. What to do…_

Fuck this,_ Inuyasha said to himself. _ They had better appreciate me doing this for them…maybe they'll even restore me…IF I do get out of this in one piece…

"_Sesshoumaru! Are we going to finish this or not, bastard?" he yelled at the taiyoukai's back, holding Tetsusaiga's pitiable form upright._

_The demon in question simply cast a look over his shoulder. "With you in that state, Inuyasha? Come now, brother. You look quite pathetic. You should see yourself." Casting a glare at the mikos, he spoke again. "Your point is made, hanyou. I will not sully my flesh with these humans' blood." He turned and began walking away from the group, obviously finished with the ordeal at that time. "I will, however, return to claim what is mine." And with that, the demon disappeared into the distance._

_Inuyasha sunk in the dirt, gasping under the weight of the pain. His head turned towards the assembly of lucky priestesses. "Oi! You saw it! I saved you from him! Now heal me."_

_The two in the back started to back away from him. Their leader just shook her head. "That's impossible. And besides, why would I want to do that? You'd just turn crazy and wreck the entire village, impudent beast!"_

_Inuyasha's brows rose for a minute, then lowered into a fierce scowl. "What the fuck are you talking about, bitch! _HE'S _the one who would have killed you all without a second thought!"_

"_But he came to fight you, did he not?"_

_His body slumped at that statement. Yes. Sesshoumaru had come for the Tetsusaiga…apparently one of the demon lord's favorite pastimes as of late. But how the fuck was he supposed to know that raggedy-ass bastard was going to show up today? _

"_So? You were the idiots that nearly got yourselves killed for pissing him off! What the fuck is wrong with you!"_

_The woman stiffened at his language, but didn't back down. "We're priestesses, that what we do. You two would have wrecked our home if we hadn't intervened." She gave him a once-over before she turned and began stepping away from him. "You should be grateful to us. You're normal now." _

"_Normal! What the fuck--" He was interrupted by the booming thunder over his head. And judging by the crowd that was gathering, none of them were going to help him out with his wounds. Giving a painful sigh, he started to move._

_This…was just his fucking day._

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

A/N: Hmm….well, I _was_ going to write a bit more, but I'm running on 9 pages already. A Prologue shouldn't be too long, right? Guess I'll just cut into the main story next. Kagome will finally make an appearance.

Anyway, tell me what you think of the story so far? Does it have potential?

Seeya next time, guys.

--ACP


	2. The Sacrifice

**(6/22/2006)** Edited for some HUGE grammar mistakes that made me cringe and bang my head against my desk. So…it runs even more smoother now…I hope.

Author's Note: Welcome to the next chapter! Cranked it out while listening to Amon Tobin and Mr. Scruff.

Thanks for the reviews everyone! Hope I don't disappoint with this chapter. This is the last bit of background I'll provide before the REAL stuff begins (you'll understand when you get to the end of this chapter).

Hehe…yes, Kikyo is a bitch in this story….and she gets worse, but that's all I'm saying. Honestly, I don't hate the miko (even though I DO agree that only one resurrection should have been enough for the actual series' story cough overkill…), but I needed someone for the part, and well, there she is.

Anyway, that's enough gabbing out of me. On with the chapter.

ooooooooooooooooo

His eyes opened in a snap.

How long ago had that been? A couple of weeks? A month? Ever since that fated day, he had been staying in this village--ironically to his nature, a shrine, no less--healing from that unfortunate battle. Thanks to the priestesses here, he was no longer in a critical state.

His hand passed through dark locks as he sat up on the futon. Who would have thought that he would be taking shelter in a dwelling of mikos? Thanks to his oh-so-considerate half-brother and those three bitches, he had no other choice. His wounds were by far in better state than before, but he was still a long way from being able to make any long journeys. He was, in other words, stuck here until he could repair properly.

His eyes shifted to Tetsusaiga, propped against the wall. He really should be cursing it…that heirloom. Because of the sword, he almost never had a moment of peace. Instead, he always had to use it, be it against a demon who wanted him dead for his 'imperfect' blood, or his brother, who wanted to steal the last piece Inuyasha had of his father.

Never a moment's peace…until now.

A month without Sesshoumaru coming around to shed his blood was unheard of to the hanyou. He knew he shouldn't feel so comfortable around humans, even though he was one himself at the moment, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to care. It was actually quite…nice in this village. No one appeared to hate him or be disgusted by him; it was a welcome change. Of course, he knew he'd have to leave the village sometime--his brother would definitely arrive again, and fuck everything up like he always did.

His head turned when he heard the door to his temporary bedroom slide open. A smirk spread across his mouth as he saw the miko enter and place a tray of food on the foot of the bed. "You've been scarce today."

Brown eyes looked up to him as a glare set upon her face. "Whatever, Inuyasha. Just because I live in a shrine doesn't mean I don't have any other duties to attend to." She set his utensils on the tray in a huff.

Inuyasha raised a black brow at her. "Rough morning, Kagome?"

She threw her head back and sighed at that question. "Like you wouldn't believe. First, Kikyo makes me clean the entire front chamber, then makes me perform six wardings of several families' houses, and now, she's making me head the memorial service of the Taishi's father, while she sits in her room doing nothing!" Kagome fixed her arms to cross against her chest.

"Well, you're a miko. You're supposed to do," he waved his chopsticks in an absent manner as he got started on his rice. "you know--miko stuff."

She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. "Well said, Inuyasha," she noted sarcastically. "Anyway, at least I have a few minutes until I have to visit the cemetery. I didn't even have time for breakfast." She pulled a pair of chopsticks from her robes and stole a cluster of rice from his bowl.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her and pulled his dish back away from her, clearly offended. "Oi! This is mine!"

She placed a hand on her hip. "Hey, I was nice enough to find time during my busy schedule to cook it! Now quit being such a little kid and share!" Her chopsticks dove towards the bowl for another bite, but Inuyasha was faster. He jumped off of the bed and took a few steps away from her, smirking during the entire trip.

"All I want is some rice. You can have the rest of the food," she said, gesturing to the tray on the bed.

"Keh. The only thing you _don't _screw up _is_ rice. I'd probably die if I touched anything else you cook!"

"Ooooh…" Kagome huffed. "If you weren't still injured--"

"You'd what?" Inuyasha countered. "Even when I'm hu--I mean injured, you still couldn't hurt me on your best day."

"Alright, that's it!" Kagome made a lunge for the bowl. Inuyasha evaded her attack but tripped backwards over the bed. Kagome stumbled on his feet and followed, as both of them watched the prized bowl of food slip out of his fingers and land on the floor in a clatter.

"Now, look what you've done. You've gone and wasted a perfectly good bowl of food, baka." Kagome said as she looked down at him.

"Keh. I'd _still_ rather eat it off the floor than whatever swill is on that tray!"

"Why you little--" Kagome exclaimed, her hands wrapping around his throat.

The door to the room opened as Kikyo entered. Her eyes blinked at the scene once before setting her attention on her sister. "Kagome, the memorial is in a few moments. Get changed and make your preparations."

The younger sister rose off the bed and straightened her robes in a huff with closed eyes. "Goodbye, Inuyasha. May you slip during your bath and fall on some jagged rocks."

"Yeah…nice words, Holy Lady!" he remarked, his smirk widening when he saw her slam the door behind her. She really was such fun to tease.

"I trust you have removed any traces of immaturity out of your system?" Kikyo asked, raising an elegant brow.

"Keh. She started it."

"Be that as it may, it is time for me to check your bandages." He then noticed the bowl of greenish-hued liquid and cloth in her hands and sighed as he held out his wrist. The only real serious injuries were his arms and his legs. Sesshoumaru had gotten a bit lucky on those appendages, and thanks to his human healing, they still had a ways to go before they were fully restored.

A glint of light caught his eye and he looked down at his hand. Quickly, he noted his nails were slightly longer than what they were than he remembered the first time his wounds were bandaged.

'_My claws…they're **growing** back!' _

He reveled for a split second before he closed his hand into a fist. He prayed Kikyo didn't get a good look at them. How would he explain that he was demon—well, half anyway? His mauve eyes frantically went to her face.

If the priestess did notice, she didn't say anything while swabbing the wound with the dampened cloth. Inuyasha held in a sigh. He would think about this later. If his youkai half was returning to him, then he would have to leave this place again. No…best to leave that matter to ponder on for later.

Kikyo put the last knot in the bandage and inspected her work. "Is it too tight?" At the shake of his head, she nodded. "I would prefer you to wash your leg wounds in the spring before I rebandage them, if you do not mind." She reached around him to retrieve the forgotten tray of food. As her hand went past him, she leaned in creating a waft of jasmine that tingled the insides of Inuyasha's nose. He inhaled again as she moved to step away from him, tray in hand.

"I assume you are not going to eat this?" she asked before shaking her head. "I don't blame you anyway." She turned and started towards the door. "When you finish your bath, come see me," she said, closing the door behind her, leaving the memory of jasmine dancing around his head.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome sighed as she lit the incense. She tried not to sound disrespectful, but she couldn't help the feeling of relief that her duties for the day were almost over. She was tired and exhausted and found herself looking forward to taking a long dip in the hot spring then, perhaps a nap. Kagome smiled slightly as she knelt alongside the Taishi family in prayer, attempting to hide her anxiousness.

"Thank you, Kagome-sama," the head Taishi female said as she stood, when the ritual was complete. "Aoki will no doubt be glad that he had such a wonderful memorial ceremony this year."

Another smile lit the priestess' face as she nodded. "I'm sure Taishi-sama is happy that you come down and honor him diligently every year." Kagome said as she bowed once. "Forgive me, but I have a few things I must attend to."

The older woman returned the bow. "Thank you again, Kagome-sama."

The miko watched as the Taishi family left the burial ground before gathering her things. The bath she was dreaming about earlier sprung back into her head. _'Yeah, that would feel so good right about now…'_ she thought.

There was only one spring that was close to the shrine. It was secluded mostly and was only used by members of the holy ground. The rest of the village used community baths, something Kagome was glad she didn't have to do. She was always a bit self-conscious about herself, probably due to being around Kikyo too much over the years. Everyone around her always seemed to compare her to her older sister…as if she was not competent enough to simply be respected for herself and not her family ties. The only one who didn't see her as just the High Priestess' sister was the injured lunkhead back at the shrine.

Inuyasha. That insensitive jerk. Just how cruel were his parents giving him that name anyway, Kagome wondered. To think that she had even thought him to be handsome when he was brought in a month ago! Then, of course, she had talked to him and discovered his unkind tongue. He was really a brute, insulting her at every turn and making fun of everything she did. He was almost hopeless at times.

Almost.

Yet, there was something unexplainable about him. His amethyst eyes were always expressive, whether yelling at her or giving her that damnable smirk. Kagome couldn't deny that there was something there…She knew he wasn't all bad, since he always did manage to ask her about her day whenever she saw him or just find time to chat in general…even _if _it did usually end in an argument or her reciting her holy vows to herself instead of beating him across his thick skull.

Unfortunately, she could tell she was not the only one who noticed the kinder side to Inuyasha. Her sister had taken it upon herself to completely tend to him…something that was rare for her. Kikyo never usually did so for the males that came in for healing. She would usually ask (or tell in Kagome's case) the other maidens to see to their wounds after initially checking the status before going and performing another duty. The impact of that was not lost on Kagome. However, it was uncommon for her elder sister to take interest in another. A grin crept across her face. _'Maybe she **is** normal…who knew?'_

Her smile froze as she heard screams in the distance, then a loud crash. Wind flowed through the dark strands in her hair as Kagome turned towards the entrance to the village. What in the world was going on?

Her hands automatically secured the strap of her quiver of arrows to her back before coming to a firm grip on her bow. _'Youkai attack?'_ her mind speculated. _'Great…just what I need today.'_

Upon reaching the village, a gasp came from Kagome's lips. Three colossal youkai loomed in the horizon laying waste to the rural farms, houses and terrorizing the villagers. People scattered throughout the area, attempting to distance themselves from the destruction that was occurring all around them.

"Lady Kagome!"

Her eyes abandoned the scene and flew to the villager that had run up to her. "We need help! The demons are wrecking everything in the area! My family was able to get out of our home before it attacked, but our home…" He cast a look at a pile of debris she could only assume that was the remains of his hut.

'_If I don't stop them,'_ she thought to herself. _'Everyone will…'_

Her resolve steeled as she notched an arrow onto her bow. Kagome's anger fueled the power that surged from the thin shaft of wood and feathers. The arrow took on a lavender hue as she aimed for the youkai's head. The shot sailed in the air and hit its target--although lower than she had intended--and embedded itself in the youkai's back. The shot youkai, barely feeling a thing, continued its rampage among the houses.

'_I can't do this on my own,'_ she realized. As much as she hated to admit, she would need her sister's aid. Seeing no other option at the moment, her feet broke into a run as she headed for the shrine.

oooooooooooooooooooo

"Kikyo-sama!"

The High Priestess looked up from the bandaged ankle and to the door which had just been flung open. "What is it, Sayou?"

The priestess in question took a second to regain herself from running into the room. "There's…a youkai attack on the villagers! Three huge gigantic ones and a smaller one. Keeps yelling about how a Sesshoumaru-sama will destroy everything until he gets what he wants!" The girl panted heavily after delivering her message.

The man Kikyo had been tending to paled at the statement. "Was it an inu-demon that said that?" he asked, his eyes stared at the wooden floorboards as he waited for the confirmation.

"No. A small toad-youkai. He's controlling the other demons. Kikyo-sama, you have to stop them!"

"Jaken…" Inuyasha said with a low voice.

Kikyo sent him a brief questioning look before turning her attention back to the woman. "Gather the townspeople and lead them to the shrine. Do it in groups so the demons do not suspect anything until it is too late. Command Akko to assemble the other mikos to erect a barrier around the shrine on your way out. I will see to the demons myself."

Sayou nodded before leaving the room. Kikyo rose from her seat, turning to Inuyasha. "I assume you know who is destroying our village?"

His eyes hadn't risen from the floor. "Yeah. Sesshoumaru, my half-brother, sent one of his lackeys here. The attack's my fault…" his face hardened as he stood up and reached for his weapon. Kikyo narrowed her eyes at the action.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

Inuyasha gave her a look, as if it should be obvious to her. "I'm going out to fight them," he informed her as he strapped Tetsusaiga to his waist.

"Even if you are able to walk and move around freely, your body is not healed enough for combat. Do not be stupid, Inuyasha."

"My brother won't stop until he gets me to hand over something to him. Look, if I go out there, I'll be able to draw the demons away and nobody else gets hurt."

"And afterwards?" she asked, arching a brow.

"It was a matter of time before he came after me. If I stay here, he's just going to keep coming. You're…" His tone became soft and silent. "You're better off without me."

Kikyo stared at him for a moment before letting a soft sigh escape. "Wait here for a moment, and I will take you out to the village. I must see to the villagers' safety." She started towards the door.

"Kikyo…" he said as she turned around. "Thanks…for taking care of me." She gave him the briefest of nods before leaving the room.

oooooooooooooooooo

After she had secured the door, Kikyo hesitated for a moment. She was almost sorry to do it, but there was no way that she would allow Inuyasha to intentionally put himself into harm's way.

She fished through her robes for the scraps of parchment. _'It's for your own good, Inuyasha.'_

Very few people had ever caught her eye, and when he had came to after she had the villagers bring him in, she could not help but feel some sort of pull. He seemed secluded, isolated from others, emotions sealed and guarded. She knew how it felt firsthand and was drawn to him as soon as she noticed. Her feelings had increased over the weeks as she began to take note of the kinder side to him. She was not irresponsible enough to completely abandon her holy vows and duties for him, but she could not deny that she felt _something _for him.

Kikyo had also been noticing a few changes in him lately, however. His eyes fluctuated from his normal purple hue to gold for the briefest of seconds, his jet black hair was now dusted with several ashen-colored strands. Not perceptible to most people, but she had noticed from the large amount of time she spent with him. And the major change was the flares of youkai that she kept feeling coming from him. Subtle, but her miko senses were able to pick up on it.

She chose to be quiet about it, since Inuyasha never had brought up the fact that he had demon blood within him. Kikyo knew that he probably kept it from her because he was afraid, and she had no desire to make him feel any discomfort. It, of course, was a problem she planned to deal with down the line, but things hadn't gotten that far yet. It did, however, come in handy for what she was about to do.

Ending her thoughts, she proceeded to seal the door with the wards. Her powers would be strong enough to keep him within, and even if they weren't, there was no way he could leave the shrine with the barrier around it in place. She was doing it for his own safety…even if it was a bit selfish.

With the wards in position, she met up with her fellow priestess who had assembled among the shrine's entrance. Her brown eyes surveyed the massive demons in the distance. It would be difficult, she realized, to take all three of them down with minimal damage.

"This won't do," she began. "We will have to force them to cease with the least amount of destruction."

"How will we do that, Kikyo-sama?" the miko named Akko spoke up.

The High-Priestess' brows drew together slightly in thought. "First and foremost, we must appease whoever is in control of the beasts."

"Sayou mentioned that Inuyasha-san called it 'Jaken'," one of the other mikos stated. "Besides, we can't appease it, as you said. The only things the villagers have to offer are crops, and the demons are ruining them!"

Remembering the look on Inuyasha's face when he told her his brother was behind the devastation, she then realized that whomever his brother was, was probably worse than even this ordeal. "Then, we will have to pacify it in another way." Kikyo said with narrowed eyes as she regarded the group. "A sacrifice."

The others gasped, and Akko spoke up nervously. "Wouldn't the head priestess be the ideal one to send?"

Kikyo's eyes hardened at the miko. "If any of you had enough power to become my successor, I would not hesitate."

"So then, who will have to go?"

The High-Priestess closed her eyes with a sigh. "I do not disagree that sending any one other than me would be an insult." A cruel and wicked smile tilted the corner of her mouth ever so slightly as she witness the other mikos exhale in relief. "So we shall have to send the next best thing."

"Kikyo!" Kagome's voice fluttered up to them as her figure rounded the path up to the shrine. "We've got trouble! There's some _huge_ demons wrecking the town! I tried shooting them with an arrow, but…" her voice trailed off as she took notice of the looks the other mikos were sending her.

"…What?"

'_She's taking a long time,_' Inuyasha thought. Kikyo be damned, he was not going to wait around when there were people in danger. He marched to the door and made to pull it open.

"Ow!" Light flared as soon as his hand touched the handle and sent a sharp spark of pain down his wrist. He tried it again, this time leaving his hand on the handle a bit longer, watching as blue lightning crackled around his arm. There was no doubt about it; it was the work of a miko.

"Kikyo…" his voice dropped, a growl rising in the back of his throat. His eyes widened for a second afterwards as he came to a realization.

'_She—she **knows**!'_

Kikyo wouldn't have put any of her power behind the door if she thought him to be human. He vaguely wondered how long she had known before looking around for another exit. He'd think on it later.

The window was an obvious choice, and he began moving the bed directly under it as well as stacking a chair on top in order to reach it. He didn't trust himself to jump just yet, if he even had that ability back. For now he'd play it safe and leave the gambling of his body's strength to when he made it outside to fight.

As his hand pulled the rest of his body onto the windowsill, he was at least relieved that it wasn't a high fall…well, not much anyway. His feet hit the ground and he turned, searching for the direction of the demons. '_Shouldn't be too hard,'_ his mind contemplated. _'Hell, I could take **Jaken** at least!'_

His plans were cut short as he felt himself walk into an invisible wall. _'Right, the barrier. You've thought of everything haven't you, Kikyo?'_ he thought bitterly.

Inuyasha understood that the only thing he could do now was convince the priestess to remove it. He really didn't want to go through with it, since it meant he'd be wasting valuable time arguing with her, but he also knew it was necessary.

Besides….after boldface lying to him, Kikyo owed him one.

He continued to walk through the forest, his ire increasing as the moments ticked by. _'Jaken should have completed his task by now. I should have done it myself instead of him, the incompetent toad.'_

It wasn't as if Sesshoumaru was lazy; lazy was not in his vocabulary. His distaste for humans caused the demon lord to take up his servant's offer to do the task for him. He had smelled enough human stench upon his last encounter with his brother to last him a lifetime. Humans…they were petty, insignificant little beings that only served to get in his way. They never received his curiosity or attention--beneath him-- mere mortals worth less than the dried mud that crudded the bottom of his shoe.

And now, his brother was one of them.

It was that thought that initiated his response to allow his servant to go ahead of him and retrieve the ex-hanyou in his place. And now, he was regretting it, since he had released Jaken over an hour ago. He disliked waiting and demanded promptness. Jaken would be punished whenever he decided to return.

"My lord!"

Sesshoumaru turned and narrowed gold eyes at the voice. "You are late," he stated.

The small toad youkai huffed as he dragged a large package behind him by a rope. "My sincerest apologies, but the humans of the village informed me that Inuyasha had escaped during the assault. They offered a gift as a request for my lord's forgiveness."

"I do not care," the taiyoukai declared as he turned his back on his retainer. "Leave the vessel here." He then began to walk, his nose working to uncover any trace of his wretched half-brother.

"B-but…" Jaken sputtered after glancing between him and the container. "It's pretty heavy! Should we not look at what is inside?" he asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

At that, Sesshoumaru stopped. His head turned back with the slightest look of annoyance on his face. Jaken knew from experience that that particular look meant the servant was really trying his patience at the moment. "Jaken," the demon lord said in a low voice. "Are you questioning this Sesshoumaru's direct orders?"

"N-no, my lord!" Jaken quickly released the rope and scrambled to catch up to the taiyoukai. Sesshoumaru nodded faintly and turned to keep walking.

That was….until he heard an exceptionally loud thump come from the container.

Both youkai turned then, staring at the wooden box. Whatever was in it was alive. His interest piqued, Sesshoumaru moved back towards the package and slowly cut the ropes with his claws. Would the humans be foolish enough to send an assassin that would arise from the box in an attempt to kill him, he wondered. Not that he was afraid of a trivial human, but it would be wise to be prepared at least. With that thought, he slid the top of the container open.

His thin elegant brows drew downwards at the sight of the box's content, certain it was a joke but not particularly finding it amusing.

The humans had sent him a miko.

oooooooooooooooo

So there it is…No more background. Now we can start up the Sesshy/Kag arc (don't worry, there's not going to be too much Inu/Kag …I've decided to go completely in favor of our favorite taiyoukai)! When is the next chapter coming out? Hopefully soon. I'm going to begin working on it either tonight or tomorrow. With luck, it'll be out next week. Updates don't come as fast with me than other authors, but that's mainly because even when I have the time, I easily get distracted. I mean, it's hard for me to sit still for an hour to type ideas down and—hey, is that a blue pen under my desk? Wheeeeeee! spins in office chair

Anyway, you get the point. Also, I tend to write long chapters and in addition, I'm slightly obsessive about grammar and stuffs. So even if the chapter is finished, I need a day to go over it and make sure things are in order.

Alright….this author's note is getting too long, so I'll stop. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and hopefully I'll get a bit of input on things to improve, if they need to be. nudge nudge

Thanks for reading!

ACP


	3. Aftermath

Author's Note: Once again, thank you everyone for the reviews! I'm really psyched at all the positive responses that this fic is getting! And you have no idea how happy I am to hear that my fic is different from others…Here I thought I would fail miserably…

Just a couple explanations…Hehe…Kikyo was referring to Kagome as 'the next best thing' in terms of blood only. Since Kikyo is the High Priestess, and well-renowned, she believed her kin would be more acceptable over the other priestesses that were not blood-relatives. I also thought about making more scenes between Inuyasha and Kagome, but I went against it, since it's not really a Kagome/Inuyasha story and it was getting really long without Sesshy making an appearance at least. People clicked on the story to read a fic about Sesshy-sama and Kagome, and I didn't want to drag it out too long. ; But they will get a few more moments in the future, that I promise you, duke of spades. )

Oh, and I'm a bit miffed at FF . net for removing my asterisks in my author's notes. So all of my 'actions' look like regular words. I tried saving the document as html and it STILL did it. Phooey. The whole content (asterisks and all) of chapters will always be on my other accounts on Adultfanfiction . net and A Single Spark (also, they will usually be updated first, since FF . net doesn't let me upload for a while from time to time).

I will try to keep updates to one chapter per week (if I edit the last chapter you've read, they'll always be a note for what day the new chapter will be posted), unless I get things done faster than I had anticipated. If not, I will most likely update the next chapter with a particularly long update as an apology or post two chapters instead of one.

Alright, let's get to this thing, shall we? Cracks knuckles (those were in asterisks, for those reading on I'm sure they were removed upon posting. --)

ooooooooooooooo

She couldn't believe it.

'_Why me?' _was the only thought that went through her mind when she was crammed into the decorative box the shrine used for offerings--by the people she _used_ to refer to as her friends. They had grabbed her shortly after she had walked up to them, binding her arms and legs with rope. Kikyo--her own sister, no less--had taken the liberty to tear off a strip of fabric from Kagome's robes and secure it to her mouth before she was stuffed into the coffin, as she now so fondly called it.

What had she done to deserve this fate, she wondered. Kagome was _always_ nice to the other mikos in the shrine, save Kikyo, but _she _had stopped being nice _first. _It seemed almost inconceivable that they had the ability to turn on her that quickly.

Shortly after the lid had been closed, the only thing she could focus on was the muffled sounds from outside. The low tone of her sister's voice and the other mikos, followed by a squeaky high-pitched voice. She wished she could hear exactly what they were saying, if at least to discover the reason why she was even in this box. Kagome didn't have claustrophobia, but understandably even she could barely handle this…

Suddenly, she felt the container being moved--dragged, more like it--since the back of her head was constantly bashed against the bottom upon impact. _'Well, this is nice…'_ she thought while gritting her teeth. _'I'm probably going to have one splitting headache in a few minutes.'_

She hated the fact that she was entirely helpless, forced to be taken to an unknown location. Kagome knew that she was no longer in the possession of Kikyo, her voice having disappeared a while ago. She only had one option: wait. That thought unnerved her, but she had no other choice.

Without warning, the casket stopped, and Kagome felt her body tense, adrenaline running high. What met her when she would be able to see her surroundings, she could only guess. _'If Kikyo is the one behind this, then I'm sure it won't be good.'_ Her face winced when she heard the squeaky voice again, this time amplified. _'What **is** that? A cat being run over by a carriage?'_ Whatever it was, it was very close to where she lied in wait. _'Too close,'_ she mused.

After waiting a while, she hit the top of the box with balled fists. Luckily, the design on the box had a few small holes in the side so air wasn't a problem for her, but her captors probably were unaware. She hoped that whomever they were, they would be merciful.

Then, the lid to her cask opened and she was greeted with light as well as a pair of cold eyes. The color, she had to admit, was beautiful and unique, unlike any other eyes she had seen. But the expression on the holder's face was one that could have made her shiver, had she not already been practically scared out of her wits.

Her eyes trailed along the man's facial features and she couldn't help but think that there was something very….familiar to this being. Though Kagome had never seen that particular shade of white hair on any man she could remember, or those distinctive markings on his face, the feeling failed to ebb. She was certain she had never met this guy before, but there was an item to him that she couldn't quite place.

They stared at each other for a moment before the male's face hardened in the slightest increment.

Her hands were getting numb and she raised her arms and gave him a pointed look as a sign that he could remove the ropes that bound them. His eyes followed the movement, although the expression on his face never wavered from the bored glare. Then the gold hues of his pupils returned to her face, his brow cocked. He paused before rising and walking several feet away from the box.

"Jaken. We are leaving."

"Y-yes, my lord!" Kagome heard the squeaky voice once more, but couldn't see anything but sky, a few treetops, and the colorless crown of the jerk who refused to assist moving away from her.

She gaped in disbelief before struggling to rise. That feat, however, was a difficult one due to the ropes hindering her movement. The miko finally managed to stand, but her relief was short-lived, as she immediately found herself unbalanced and tumbling over the rim of the container. Face planted in the dirt, she attempted to at least get herself upright into a sitting position, which required her falling backwards and landing flat on her rear end. Kagome fumed at the back of the man's head as she watched him walk away.

"Aren't you going to help, you dolt?"

…was what she _would _have said, had she not have had the cloth tied in her mouth.

'_Thanks a lot, **Kikyo**.'_

The tall male continued without looking back at her. Brows slashing downwards, the miko looked around to spot something--anything--that would free her. Her eyes landed on a nearby bolder, ridged with sharp edges. Kagome scooted towards the stone, quickly rubbing the edge of the ropes binding her hands against it. The cord gave way after a few moments and she wasted no time ridding herself of it as well as the one wrapped around her legs. As soon as she was free, she ran towards the insufferable man, snatching the gag from her mouth.

"Hey! Why didn't you help me back there!" Kagome asked, as soon as she had caught up with him.

"Deplorable human! You should speak with respect when addressing Lord Sesshoumaru!"

That voice…it was the shrill one she had heard earlier. Her gaze went downward and was met with a short little demon. What was his problem, anyway?

'_Wait…if **he's** a demon…does that mean…?'_ Her eyes returned to the man's retreating back, and she then realized that yes, he too, was a demon. How she had not sensed the youkai energy from him when she first saw him, she had no clue. But at least now she knew. None of the demons she had met had ever been nice to her…well, all of the demons that she had met almost never lived long anyway, since they were always the ones who tried to cause havoc in the village or the forest surrounding it. Kikyo and the others were always the ones that disposed of them.

'_Let's not go back to **that** right now, Kagome.'_

She returned her thoughts to the ugly little toad demon. "Respect him? Why? He didn't even _try_ to help me when I needed to! He should be apologizing to me, not running away!"

"'Running away?' Sesshoumaru-sama flees from no one--!"

"Silence."

It was amazing how that one word could be spoken so calmly, yet contain so much power and weight. The annoying little toad instantly obeyed him, and Kagome found herself pausing for a second, before remembering her original anger at the pale-haired demon.

"Look," she started, eyes closed and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "All you have to do is say a simple 'I'm sorry' and I'm out of your hair."

He turned at her statement. "And what…_grounds_ would I have to attempt to make amends? To a human, no less." His molten eyes grew a fraction colder after his comment.

"You can't seriously be asking me that! You practically left me there! If I didn't have the ability to _trip_ over that-that _coffin,_ I could have been eaten by a bear or something! How would you like to have _that_ on your conscious, you big jerk!"

His eyes remained in the glare as he regarded her. "I do not care. One less pathetic human."

Kagome made a noise in the back of her throat that almost sounded like a growl. "Fine! You win. I don't even _want_ that apology now! Even if you did, you'd just come off as an oaf anyway. Hope you get struck by lightning someday." She turned around and practically stomped away, mumbling to herself. "What is _with_ all of the guys I meet anyway? First, that cretin Inuyasha couldn't say anything nice to save him, and now I've got Mr. High-and-Mighty here--"

"Repeat what you said, wench."

She turned around to stare angrily at Sesshoumaru. "What? About the lightning?" She glanced up at the sky. "Looks like it'll rain soon, make sure you walk in a field well away from trees. Now, goodbye." She made to leave again, but he spoke again.

"Repeat what you said about…Inuyasha." The last word sounded almost strained, but Kagome was past caring at this point.

"I don't have anything to say to you, especially since you don't know how to ask. I have things to do, so leave me alone." She turned around and began walking.

Suddenly, he was in front of her, her surprise clear on her face as she hadn't even heard him move. She took a step backward, but he grabbed her hand.

"I will not say it again. You _will_ obey this Sesshoumaru's orders."

"Why should I help you? Did you already forget what happened a few minutes ago? I don't have to tell you anything, you jerk!" she said, trying to pull her hand from his grasp, glaring fully into his eyes.

His eyes narrowed slightly at her refusal and suddenly she felt pain shooting up her wrist. His hand was glowing green and his claws dug marginally into her skin. He was burning her hand with some sort of…energy, she realized. _'Well,' _she thought bitterly. _'Let's see how **he** likes it!'_ She began focusing nearly all of her power into searing his own hand.

The challenge was issued.

Both glowered at each other, willing the other to surrender. Her hand was going numb after a few moments, and determined to win the twisted sport they were playing, she increased her power even further. His scowl darkened seconds before he released her.

His hand dropped to his side, the gold of his eyes smoldering in the heat of his annoyance. "Despicable girl."

Kagome rubbed her wrist, wincing in discomfort as her hand passed over the burnt flesh. "Inconsiderate bastard."

The staring match ensued between the pair, though Kagome used it as bravado for concealing the pain she was in. Sesshoumaru, however was sending a glare that would hastily send all of the fuzzy, cute little woodland creatures back inside their burrows had he directed it anywhere other than her. She took a half-step back, since it almost looked as if he really wanted to kill her.

'_Well, at least I did some damage to him before I died…'_ she mused, her eyes going to his hand. Unfortunately for her, his skin was repairing itself, and she could do nothing but stare at it bitterly. "Stupid demonic regenerative abilities…" she muttered under her breath.

Thunder crackled above, shortly before the rain began to fall. _'Yep…that sounds about right,'_ she thought as she felt the water start to soak her. _'The perfect end to such a perfect day…_

_Thanks **a lot**, Kikyo…'_

ooooooooooooooooo

"Kikyo!"

The priestess turned from her position on the path to the village when she heard the voice, mouth set in a thin line while she prepared for the confrontation with Inuyasha. She was certain that he would not be pleased with the methods she had used to keep him away from harm's path.

As she had expected, his handsome face was drawn into a glower as he approached her. She inwardly sighed although she knew that the conversation would happen eventually.

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"Don't 'yes' me, wench! What the hell was that back there?" he asked, face dark with anger she had no doubt was directed towards her.

"That was me keeping you safe. Would you rather have died by the hands of some atrocious youkai?"

"That's for me to choose, not you!" He jabbed a finger towards her in the air. "I don't like people trying to control me, and I never would have thought you'd do something stupid like that!"

Kikyo merely blinked at him. "Yes, of course. I'm sure it will not happen again." Sitting on a nearby tree stump, she carefully laid her bow on her lap as she regarded him. "Although, the threat to the townspeople has been…alleviated at the moment."

"What, you think this is all over! As long as I'm here, he won't stop coming. Even if you think by cooping me up in that room will save me, it don't matter. My brother…wants something of mine, and he's pretty hardheaded and stubborn."

"Reminds me of someone else that I know," she commented offhand. Ignoring his glare, she continued. "And what is this thing that he wants from you, Inuyasha?"

The man in question's hand went to his sword. "Stupid bastard wants it even though he knows he can't wield it. Only wants to prove a point to me that he's the better son or something and get a one-up on my father." At her quizzical look, he sighed and shook his head. "I don't expect you to understand, but the point is, he wont leave this village alone until I face him. I can't run any more."

There was a pause as she upheld her inquiring look. "And you feel the need to go?"

"Don't you understand? I _have_ to go!"

"Even if you are not in top condition? You once told me your brother was the being who put you in the state you were in a month ago. If you face him now, will you not die?"

Inuyasha looked to the ground, not wanting to answer her, but she refused to drop her stare. "Probably will."

"So, you are going to give up, then?"

His eyes flew back to her, a frown on his face. "WHAT! No!"

"Foolishly rushing into a battle you know you cannot win is giving up," she said, rising and straightening her robes in one graceful movement. "Besides, we could use your help here, as you continue to heal, of course."

"What are you talking about?" He chose not to respond to her earlier comment.

"Since this attack was--as you say--_your_ fault, you can help us repair the village."

"But…" his eyes dropped to the ground again. "Sesshoumaru…"

"--is but one demon. Will he send another demon to come after you again?"

Inuyasha slowly shook his head. "Probably not, since it was Jaken the last time, and Sesshoumaru isn't exactly the patient kind."

"Then we will deal with him when he arrives. In the meantime, you can help the villagers fix the houses and crop fields that were damaged. Your demonic strength is returning, correct?"

"Yeah…how did you figure that one out, anyway?"

It was Kikyo's turn to shake her head at him. "Another time, Inuyasha. Right now, we must get things in order." She began the trek down the path to the village.

Inuyasha could do nothing but stare at her retreating form. What she had said made sense, though. And if it was only going to be Sesshoumaru coming next time, he'd only be interested in him and not taking out any villagers in the process…unless they tried to interrupt. The village repairs…The least Inuyasha could do was help out.

He also wondered if Kikyo had told anyone else about him being related to youkai. He didn't think so, since everyone generally treated him nicely, and if they even caught a hint of anything else, they'd probably turn on him. The only one he believed wouldn't care would be Kagome.

Inuyasha couldn't say what he liked about her, just that he did. Whether it was her overall kind nature, or that usually hidden--well, not so much when she was around him--fiery essence. She at least checked on him once a day and made sure he was somewhat comfortable…before he fed her temper and she exploded on him.

He took pleasure in making her angry, since her whole attitude could change in seconds flat. It kept him on his toes, and even though he couldn't fight physically (not much, anyhow), she always managed to give him a workout, even if it was strictly verbal.

Just where was she, anyway?

'_Keh, Kikyo must be working her to the bone again,'_ he thought as he followed the path Kikyo took down to the village, slight irritation spawning as he felt raindrops pelting him. _'She'll probably be bitching to me about it later…'_

ooooooooooooooo

He was seriously going to kill her.

Although not at the moment, as she held information of his brother's whereabouts. But he promised himself, she would die a painful death as her reward for pushing his buttons so thoroughly.

A smirk almost reigned Sesshoumaru's face as he watched her take a step back, almost as if she had heard his thoughts. At least she was not stupid.

His triumph was short as the rain began to fall.

With the rain, his brother's wretched scent would be difficult to find with all traces washed away. The taiyoukai decided then and there that the gods were most assuredly casting some form of divine retribution onto him for some unknown deed. It was absolutely no way a dignified being such as him could ever encounter such bad luck in one simple day.

He resisted the urge to rub his temples as he felt the start of an unsettling headache coming on. "Jaken."

The toad youkai was at his side in a flash. You really couldn't get that kind of loyalty easily. "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Journey back to that worthless village and inquire about my half-brother's direction. We shall start from there."

The toad's face dropped a bit, but he did not waver. "Yes, my lord." Shoulders slumping, he began to walk away from the demon lord.

'_Half-brother? But he was interested in Inuyasha a moment ago...Unless…'_ Kagome's eyes widened.

'_**He's** the 'no-good-idiotic-stick-in-the-mud' brother Inuyasha told me about? Now I understand why he couldn't say one good word about his brother!'_ Kagome thought as she looked at the youkai.

After Jaken had completely disappeared from sight, the two engaged in another staring match. Kagome broke it first after a few moments, sighing before slightly sneezing from the chill of her soggy clothes. "Well, this was an experience. Can't say I want to do it again, but…" She sent him a glance, noting that he did nothing but watch her. "Okay…I'm going to leave now. I meant what I said about that lightning bolt, by the way." She turned and took a few steps away.

"You will stay right where you are."

"Not this again…" she mumbled before turning back around. "And why would I do what you _tell _me to, for the last time?"

He was reaching; he knew it. But he was reluctant to let her go at the moment, mostly because she knew his pathetic brother and if all else failed, he could use her as a ransom for the Tetsusaiga.

'_Besides…'_ he mused. _'I still do owe her for aggravating me to the point where I desire to pull out my hair.'_

"Jaken had informed me that the box was sent in order to placate a high being such as myself."

'_Kikyo….she--' _Kagome's eyes widened as she came to a realization. _'The box…Kikyo wouldn't do **that**, would she?' _

Silly question, and Kagome knew the truth.

"That…that means…" She trailed off as a wicked smirk conquered the edge of the taiyokai's lips.

"That is correct, little miko. You now belong to me."

oooooooooooooooo

Yeah, I know. Sesshoumaru doesn't know how to play nice, does he? Hehe…well, that's just how I love him anyway. Tough break for Kagome, eh?

I'm probably going to redo this chapter sometime down the line. Although it covered what I wanted it to cover (even though it was a page shorter than intended), and it flowed easily when I wrote it…some parts could be improved. I'll most likely go back later and revise it.

Uh…yeah. So anyway, generally, I hope it was at least entertaining…and yay, they've actually technically met each other now! Goal completed. I just hope they were in character….somewhat. I'm going to go celebrate with a cheese sandwich and Genji. Hehe.

Alright, that's it. See ya'll next week. And if you saw anything in the chapter that you feel I should change or correct, don't be afraid to holla' at me. ;

ACP


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